A doctor and a musician, Patrick Lawrence uses both these elements of his life to fuel his singer/songwriter career. His new EP, Nostalgic For Now, is available everywhere January 17th. The Brisbane-born artist is a folky singer-songwriter – encapsulating acoustic guitars with stories of life lessons.
“Forever Home” is a perfect first dance song – Lawrence sings about meeting someone you know is meant to be with you for the rest of your life. Playing on the idea that a forever home doesn’t have to be a place but can be a person. The soft singing and passionate electric guitar in the outro showcases how special this love is to him and his partner.
The next track is “Half Life” and it has a bluesy, John Mayer-like sound in the guitars. He sings in the chorus, “I’m so tired / of this half-life / I don’t know how it all went wrong / I’m so tired / of being half right / I gave it all / it’s still not enough.” It comes to terms with working so hard for something you thought you wanted all your life only to realize it doesn’t make you happy anymore. Lawrence’s songwriting is very conversational yet clever: making it fun to dissect his wordplay. He has such a raw way of sharing exactly what is on his mind in a way that connects very well with the listener.
Another song to highlight is “Joy In The Journey.” The melody soars through the instruments – with a peppy guitar and tambourine gliding along. The electric guitar is a perfect touch that cuts through beautifully. Lawrence sings about his struggles at feeling like he has never done enough: a universal topic. “It’s not a race / and were not behind / let’s enjoy the ride,” he sings. Learning about his successful careers it is easy to see where he might feel split or lost, so it is really honest for him to have this conversation with the listener.
Overall, Lawrence is one of my new favorites. His ability to write about longing to be present in this fast-paced world is a beautiful reminder of how quickly it all passes by. He is one to keep an eye out for and to add to your favorite folk playlist. So be sure to go listen to Nostalgic For Now out everywhere now!
Written by Katie Power
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